..续本文上一页acking in metta, to discard people. Hey! If you toss out a rotten mango, are you lacking in metta

　　 You can”t make any use of it, that”s all. There was no way to get through to such people. The Buddha is praised as one with supreme wisdom. He didn”t merely gather everyone and everything together in a confused mess. He was possessed of the pine eye and could clearly see all things as they really are. He was the knower of the world.

　　And as the knower of the world, he saw danger in the round of samsara. For us who are his followers, it”s the same. If we know all things as they are, that will bring us well-being. Where exactly are those things that cause us to have happiness and suffering

　　 Think about it well. They are only things that we create ourselves. Whenever we create the idea that something is us or ours, that is when we suffer. Things can bring us harm or benefit, depending on our understanding. So the Buddha taught to pay attention to ourselves, to our own actions, to the creations of our own minds. Whenever we have extreme love or aversion to anyone or anything, whenever we are particularly anxious, that will lead us into great suffering. This is important, so take a good look at it. Investigate these feelings of strong love or aversion, and take a step back. If you get too close, they”ll bite. Do you hear this

　　 If you grab at and caress these things, they bite and they kick. When you feed grass to your buffalo, you have to be careful. If you”re careful, then when it kicks, it won”t kick you. If it bites… (

　　 Can”t make out the rest of this sentence—let it bite on its rope

　　). You have to feed it and take care of it, but you should be smart enough to do that without getting bitten. Love for children, relatives, wealth, and possessions will bite. Do you understand this

　　 When you feed it, don”t get too close. When you give it water, don”t get too close. Pull on the rope when you need to. This is the way of Dhamma, recognizing impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and lack of self, recognizing the danger and employing caution and restraint in a mindful way.

　　Ajahn Tongrat didn”t teach a lot; he always told us, “Be really careful! Be really careful!” That”s how he taught. “Be really careful! If you”re not really careful, you”ll take it on the chin!” This is really how it is. Even if he didn”t say it, it”s still how it is. If you”re not really careful, you”ll take it on the chin. Please understand this. It”s not someone else”s concern. The problem isn”t other people loving or hating us. Others far away somewhere don”t make us create karma and suffering. It”s our possessions, our homes, our families where we have to pay attention. Or what do you think

　　 These days, where do you experience suffering

　　 Where are you involved in love, hate, and fear

　　 Control yourselves, take care of yourselves. Watch out you don”t get bitten. If they don”t bite, they might kick. Don”t think that these things won”t bite or kick. If you do get bitten, make sure it”s only a little bit. Don”t get kicked and bitten to pieces. Don”t try to tell yourselves there”s no danger. Possessions, wealth, fame, loved ones, all these can kick and bite if you”re not mindful. If you are mindful, you”ll be at ease. Be cautious and restrained. When the mind starts grasping at things and making a big deal out of them, you have to stop it. It will argue with you, but you have to put your foot down. Stay in the middle as the mind comes and goes. Put sensual indulgence away on one side. Put self-torment away on the other side. Love to one side, hate to the other side. Happiness to one side, suffering to the other side. Remain in the middle without letting the mind go in either direction.

　　Like these bodies of ours. Earth, water, fire, and air—where is the person

　　 There isn”t any p…

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